The Dickinson press., 1887-12-03
DAY OF %ATONEMENT.
THE MOST SOLEMN EVENT IN THE
JEWISH CALENDAR.

Prayer and Fasting for Twenty-four
Hours-.Anricnt Sacriticial Ceremonies.
solemn Closing Srryicc-Wcaring YER
liable SI,rouds-A Very Curious Custom.
In this time of matcrialistir though: the
average American can hardly understand,
still less can he appreciate, the awe and rev
ercncc with which the Day of Atoucmcnt is
regarded b.. the jew. 1t is the most sacred
twenty-four hours in the calendar Of the
Hebrew. Into the minutes of that day are
woven the splendors of lis ancient temples,
the lomp and ceremonial of the Mosaic rit-
ual, the sadness of a nation without II home.
The jew was not condemned and Il wundcrer
WHEN that sacred day was Instituted.
BY orthodox and reformed jews alike this
day is held i'll reverence. Every one of the
Hebrew faith will observe it 10y fasting and
prayer. The time of this service is the tenth
day of til" seventh month in the Jcwis, cal
cndur. The day is significant. 1t is
the tenth day t" signify the com.
plctencss Of the atoncinent: it is tho
seventh month because. the month closed
the festal half of the Mosaic Year, and
thus, in 81 sense. formed its Sabbath; it is the
tenth day of the month, because. say the wiso
men, on that day Adam siuncl and rclpntcd,
Abraham was ci:c;inci>ed, and Moses ca,ne
down from the Mount and found his people
w%oishipinS the 6 ldcn calf. The day titus set
apart is strictly and %solenlnly kept. On it.
ard on it alone, is there Il fast cnjoincd. The
jew is expected to %'aillirt his soul" on that
day, which means fasting in addition to re-
pentance md hnmiliatio.t.
TnE ANCIENT CEREMONIAL.
The ancient ritual included n ceremonial of
Oriental inagniiiccncr. The priests were
dressed i'll pure white linen, signifying SIM
plieity. Two goats were furnished by the
people upon which We're cast ots-one lot for
Jehovah and the other for .Azazcl, the name
of q bnd spirit living in the wilderness. One
of these goats was killed as u sin offering
after the priest had slain u bullock; then fol.
lowed thut singular ceremony Of sending the
living goat into tho wilderness. A man an.
pointed the year before led the goat away
into q district from which there was no rn-
turn path.
The idea of this procedure evidently was
that the sins which had syn,iolirallv been
laid upon the goat dbl Mt return. Tie man
who had led the goat could not re-enter the
camp until lie lad washed his clothes and
himself. Ihr high priest then took off lis
linen garments. washed himself. put on his
usual dress and burned the fat of tie other
gcat upon the altar.
Slute the Destruction OF Jerusalem the
Day Il Atenslleut has not been Observed
with >utu imposing ceremonial. Bu- VT It
is kept w IN place = the S!u atfer.n- there
Is the ext!atory prayer. ii winch there are
..lauy beautiful l~a<sas>. Tue u:..!-r. o.
Ssrvsnes Il rts Jay eon>is.> * i rigorous
ta<t. beginning ~ sunset an; continuing
ui.-l. To- ie1- evening at ot.3c,. MI q
drop u wa:er H., 4 .iorss, q tqo.i al te
lake. IL "a. :i.le. his Observance Is bind.
~ ou evs.y J~v. gSeepc tLc>e N4o ara TO
l.. = ri>s liz ;a>:. TIE synagogue services
i--!a ss3ut Suns: all las: several hou,S.
-r!.vr are resumed tie t9l!3w:., m3rm;as a.
t~o'c.Q2l AID continue uu:ii suilse:. The
services consist Il q Set ritual Of prayers for
forgiveness. expressions oi coltrition ami
promises ot amendment. Selections from
the law and prophets are read, II addresses
upon tie topics OF the day are made bv the
raibi>. The music for the day is pitched in
Il to;." of special solemnity. a striking
feature of the service is tue memorial of the
dead, 80 called. liz which not alone the names
and virtues of departed member of the con-
gresatim are mentioned, but the fact of
their departure is used to point a lesson of
morality. and their memory employed to in
cite the pious emulation of those who mourn
them. In many congregations Very large
collections are taken up for benevolent pur-
poses.
SOLEMN CLOSING SERVICE.
The r1osinp service whi,.I, I,nr;Uc ;,,et H.,